Parental Grief
by hewithnoname
Summary: The parents find out to their horror what happened at the Department of Mysteries. Join them in their greif as they come to terms with what happened. Only together can they make sense of all this horror that every parent fears to face.


Parental Grief

Mrs Granger sat down at the table to eat her tea which Mr Granger had lovingly prepared. It was at times like these when they could talk together; about their day; the clients and all their funny little ways; and the plans for the holidays. They were going to stay at her brother's new place in the south of France. They were toying with the idea of asking Ginny to accompany Hermione.

They were interrupted by a knock at the door. Both looked at each other, as it was quite late in the evening.

"I'll get it my love, you sit and enjoy. Would you like some more wine while I'm up?" Mr Granger asked.

"No thank you Dave I'm fine."

Mr Granger got up and went to the front door. Mrs Granger was surprised to hear her husband's voice.

"Arthur, how nice to see you! All is well I hope? Would you like some tea and dinner that I've just served up?"

"I think it best If I tell you and your wife together Dave, if you don't mind."

The look on Mr Weasley's face told Mr Granger this was not a social visit.

"What has happened? What has happened to my daughter? Tell me Arthur, tell me now."

At the mention of Hermione, Mrs Granger got up from the diner table and went to the living room. "Hello, Arthur was is it? What has happened?"

Arthur sat them down and told them briefly what had happened as best as he knew. He was also here to take them to Hogwarts because with them being muggles, they wouldn't be able to see the place.

"Here touch this. It is a portkey. It will get us there in very short time." Mr Weasley explained, at the looks on their faces. Both were very upset at the news and the journey didn't help matters much.

They arrived at Professor Mc Gonagall's office, as Dumbledore's was unavailable. Once they were there, they sat down in big sofa's set aside for the parents. Mrs Weasley, Mrs Longbottom and Mr Lovegood were there already. All present were sombre. Mrs Weasley got up as Mr Granger started to pace the room. She sat next to Mrs Granger and placed a comforting hand on top of hers. Both ladies held on tightly to each other, both afraid to let go. Both mothers knew this was bad. Mr Weasley and Mr Granger were talking in hushed whispers, both looking pale and withdrawn.

All jumped with shock when Professor Snape entered the office. Professor Snape sat at Professor Mg Gonagall's desk and started looking around at the parents in his cold, calculating manner.

Mrs Weasley was the first to speak,

"Please, Serverus, tell us what has happened." Mrs Granger, who was not used to the way things worked here, sat back and let Mrs Weasley do all the talking for now. She had heard of Mr Snape and didn't want to look too emotional. The only thought going through her mind was 'This is bad. In all the time I that was in school, college and University, I never saw any parents attend school. This is very bad.'

She felt a strong connection to Mrs Weasley she could see that she cared deeply for Hermione.

Professor Snape raised his hand, asking Mrs Weasley to refrain from asking questions for now.

"Now what I'm about to tell you is going to sound unbelievable. All I ask is that you let me tell you what transpired. I will then answer all your questions if I can. Professor Snape them told them most of what happened, putting his own twisted angle on the events in a way that only he could manage. "So it would seem that Potter dragged his friends down into the Department of Mysteries, on a fool's crusade to rescue his dear Godfather. Now while Potter escaped relatively unharmed; your children did not. Rest assured they are with Madam Pomfry, in the hospital wing. They will be able to resume their studies at the end of the week. Professor Flitwick will come and take you to your children in a moment's time. Now, if you have no questions, I will leave you all." With that he turned to Mr and Mrs Weasley, nodded his head and made his way out of the room.

Mrs Granger was suddenly hit with the realization of losing her daughter; she burst into tears. Mrs Weasley already at her side started to comfort her.

"What the hell was Harry thinking," Mr Granger bellowed, "dragging MY daughter down to London, and getting her in a fight to the death with Terrorists?" He started to pace the room again. Mr Weasley was letting him have his rant. Mr Granger didn't know Harry the way he did. "Well, when I see Harry I'm going to give him a piece of my mind. If he thinks he is going to see my daughter again-." Mrs Granger cut him off.

"Dave shut up! My daughter is lying in Hospital; and all you can think about is getting your two-penny's worth in, I'll not have it. Not until we know the full story! Okay?"

Mrs Weasley finally saw the resemblance of mother and daughter.

"I'm sorry dear. I'm just so frustrated, I didn't mean to go of like that; I'm sorry." He went over to his wife and sat down next to her. He placed a comforting arm around her.

Mrs Weasley went over to Mr Weasley. "Arthur, they say Sirius is dead, that he fell through the Vail." Mr Weasley nodded his head, confirming her fears. Mrs Weasley sobbed on to his shoulder.

"SIRIUS BLACK! THE MASS MURDERER? My Neville was in the same room as the ring leader of He Who Must Not Be Named most trusted servants?" Mrs Longbottom shrieked.

"He is not a Death Eater." Mr Lovegood spoke up "He's-."

"If you say he was the lead singer in a band, then so help me Mr Lovegood I will-" Mrs Weasley took a deep breath "Well lets just say you will not like it." Mrs Weasley had stopped crying now. Anger was radiating from her.

"Sirius Black was a good man. I didn't agree with most of his views, but he has proven to be just and loyal. He helped my family when they needed it most. I will never forget that. I will also not tolerate any bad words spoken against Harry." She looked at all in the room.

"Do not judge Harry on what you have otherwise heard. By the sounds of it, he was tricked by a vision and Harry, being Harry, acted on it. It is the same way he acted when he saved Arthur here and the same way he acted when he saved my Ginny, my Ron, and even your Hermione. It's who he is and I love him all the more for it." Mr Weasley was smiling; he loved it when she defended her children to other parents.

"But what I don't understand is why my Neville was with them? Don't they know he's useless at magic? Oh no, he's not a patch on my Son. Merlin help him, how did he ever get out of there alive?"

"Harry." Mr Weasley said. "He helped form a defence group. He taught them all defensive magic. From what Ron has told me, Neville was one of the top students."

Mrs Longbottom sighed. "I didn't know. Why didn't he tell me?"

"I wonder why…" Mrs Granger mumbled, causing Mrs Weasley to smile.

"I take it my daughter was in this group?" Mr Granger asked.

"In it? She helped start it!" Both Mr Weasley and Mr Granger smiled.

"Yeah, that sounds like my daughter alright."

"Is all this to do with the article I wrote the other month?" Mr Lovegood asked.

"I don't think it helped." Mrs Weasley answered dejectedly.

"What article?" Mrs Granger asked.

Mrs Longbottom pulled out the Quibbler, and handed it to Mrs Granger. Mr Lovegood beamed with pride, if somebody as distinguished as Mrs Longbottom read his magazine, then he must be doing something right.

Mrs Granger looked at the article. Her eyes were all glazed over with anger and confusion. When she had finished she wiped away her tears and gave the story to her husband.

"Is all of this true?" The look of sorrow on Mrs Weasley's face confirmed it.

"But he is so young! Why? This Voldermort-" Everybody flinched. Mr and Mrs Granger looked around confused.

"I'm sorry Jayne, but we dare not speak his name. Most of our kind fear him. He is evil itself. All of us are his targets, muggles and muggle born especially, but I'm afraid to say that Harry is on the top of that list." Mrs Weasley sobbed again.

"So that means that all of our children are on that list now." Mrs Granger whispered. Mrs Weasley cried out even more confirming these fears.

Mr Granger stood up "Well that settles it Jayne. We're getting the hell out of here, away from this place; this school; this world. I will not have my daughter a target for cowards and terrorists. We will leave the country; Jayne's brother has a place in Europe. We will move over there."

Mrs Longbottom stood up "They will find you. No, the safest place for your daughter is here at school with Dumbledore. Nobody will harm your children. Everybody knows that You-Know-Who is afraid of Dumbledore. It is the only place safe for your daughter. Besides, she can learn to fight and to defend herself and her family." She paused, to make a decision and mentally answered herself. "When I have seen my Neville, I shall get in touch with most of my old friends and contacts. It is time to take a stand. He destroyed my son and my daughter-in-law's life. He will not get Neville."

A power radiated from Mrs Longbottom. It was an ancient power, long hidden but now fully awoken. "I must speak to Dumbledore before the night is out."

Mr and Mrs Granger were sitting down next each other having a hushed conversation, deciding their daughter's future. Mrs Weasley leaned into Mr Weasley.

"If they think there going to ban her from seeing Harry, they are in for a rough ride. That kind of friendship cannot be broken, and if I'm not mistaken Jayne thinks that as well."

She looked over to Mr and Mrs Granger who had finished their discussion. Mr Granger wiped a tear from his face and sighed in resignation.

"Do you think it wise to carry on with my plans of going to Sweden?" Mr Lovegood asked.

"I don't think it would matter. Why are you going?" Mr Weasley asked.

"Why to see the Crumple Horned Snorklacks of course. I have heard of sightings!"

Mrs Granger looked at Mr Weasley. "The Crumple Horned What?"

"Snorklack." Mr Weasley finished and smiled.

"Mental, the lot of them." Mrs Weasley mumbled.

The door opened and Professor Flitwick walked into the office.

"It's time to go down. They're all going to be okay. If you will please follow me."

The walk down to the hospital wing was a subdued affair, neither party speaking. As they walked into the hospital there were cries of emotion from the group that were awake. Ginny ran over to her mother.

"Mummy!" Mrs Weasley hadn't been called that in a long time. Tears were falling down Ginny's face. "Mummy I was so scared, please don't be mad with us. Sirius… Sirius is dead."Ginny let out a cry and sobbed into her mother's embrace.

"Shush my angel, it's alright. You're safe now." Mrs Weasley comforted her daughter the way only a mother could. Now wasn't the time for questions. Mrs Weasley saw her husband walk over to Ron's bed and sit down by his side. Mr Weasley took his son's hand into his own. Silent tears were falling down his face as he looked at Ron's unconscious form.

"Well son, what have you gotten yourself into now, eh?" Mr Weasley sighed and wiped his eyes. Mrs Weasley sat down opposite to her husband and took Ron's other hand.

Ginny sat down on the end of Ron's bed sobbing. "He saved me and Luna, Mum; he got us away from the Death Eaters and then he got hit with a strange curse, it sent him all funny and he couldn't think straight. I'm so sorry Mum, Dad."

Mr Weasley motioned to his daughter. She came over and sat on his lap and hugged him tight. He could feel her trembling as he kissed the top of her head.

"It's ok, my precious. It's all over."

Within five minuets Ginny had fallen asleep on his shoulder. He picked her up and placed her on the bed next to Ron's. Then he went and sat next to his beautiful and loving wife.

Mr and Mrs Granger walked over to their daughter, sat down and placed their hands in hers.

"Hermione dear, it's Mummy here, I'm here to-." She broke down in tears and rested her head on her daughter's hand.

Mr Granger placed his hands on his wife's back and gently rubbed it in tight circle's. He had never been a religious man, but he silently prayed to God, begging for his daughter's well being.

He looked up and saw Mr Weasley pick up his daughter and place her on a bed.

The only thoughts going through his mind were. "How am I going to protect my family? When will this ever end? Where is Harry, why isn't he here with the rest of them?" He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. It was going to be a long night.

Mr Lovegood turned to his daughter who was sitting silently at her bed reading her magazine. He chuckled to himself as the sight of her reminded him of his late wife.

"Hello Daddy! I have had such a night! I have rode a Thestral, I duelled with Death-Eaters, and I saw the Vail of death, Daddy. I'm pretty sure I heard Mummy." Mr Lovegood had to look away from his daughter as a tear fell from his eye.

"Is that right, my pumpkin? Is that right?"

"Oh yes Daddy. She is happy there. She is at rest."

Mr Lovegood smiled and hugged his daughter, silent tears falling down his face.

Mrs Longbottom walked over to Neville. His nose was fixed and he sat, looking down at his bed.

"Hello Neville. We must talk about last night, but not now I have just come to see that you are okay. I must have a conversation with Dumbledore." She patted Neville on the head and walked away without a goodbye.

Neville got up, walked over to Madam Pomfrey and asked if he was well enough to go up to his dormitory.

With a final look behind him, Neville saw all his friends' parents consoling each other, before he turned and walked back to his dorm.


End file.
